We had our cameras set on kill because Matt had every intention of sending his truck skyward. It was utterly amazing to watch this truck launch itself from a stand-still into the air. If you look closely you can see the roll pan getting hammered into the dirt as the front end of the truck takes flight. This kind of action is murder on the bed.
Going, Going, Gone. Check out the self-ejecting chrome grille that Matt fitted his truck with. Now, that has to be worth some extra points at shows. "I don't have any problems with the suspension on it. I just have to find a way to keep the body on!" says Matt.
Building a hopper involves a lot of fabrication work and commitment. Successfully running a hopper at a show involves even more prep work and travel. It's definitely not a one-man job, and Matt relies heavily on his friends to keep the program running smoothly. Each of the nitrogen cylinders weighs 165 pounds and must be watched over carefully during a hop to make sure the truck doesn't inadvertently hit one. Can you say ballistic missile waiting to happen? According to Matt, the suspension uses nitrogen even though CO2 tends to last longer because nitrogen is a drier air that doesn't cause the solenoid valves to stick.
The rear suspension pivots via the same five-link system that you can order from Suicidedoors.com yourself. The links are a bit longer, but the design is essentially the same with an upper wishbone keeping the rear end centered and the lower links controlling the up and down motion.